


Unbreakable

by luciebell_writes



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23169550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luciebell_writes/pseuds/luciebell_writes
Summary: When Wren is unable to keep up her end of the bargain with the Saviors, she finds herself at a loss for options; instead agreeing to another deal in order to protect her group. But that doesn't mean she's willing to kneel for Negan.
Relationships: Negan (Walking Dead)/Original Character(s), Negan (Walking Dead)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! Basically this story has like 13 chapters over on fanfiction but I wanted to post it on here too as I like the way this site works with the kudos, hits etc. as I've just started to get back into writing again. I'm hoping to get most of the story updated over here soon as.
> 
> This first chapter is just a short introduction into Wren's life, but Negan will be along shortly to disturb the peace, don't worry ;)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please leave a review if you have the time!

Wren remembered the day she became the leader of her group all too well.

The air had felt thicker that morning; the sky was grey and the clouds loomed overhead as if to warn those around of an imminent threat. Nobody had paid the weather any heed though; they had bigger things to worry about than a bit of rain, or even a storm.

Four men in the group had volunteered to accompany their leader, Wren's father Nathaniel Waring, on the three-day trip in search of supplies. Wren and her brother, Kyle, had subsequently been put in charge of maintaining order back in the small town in which they'd settled at not long after the world had ended. Under Nathaniel's leadership, the thirty-something people that made up their small community had weathered the worst of the outbreak together; gathering all that they would need in order to build sturdy walls that they hoped would keep the undead out and protect the living inside. However, while the walkers had been unable to get through their strong security, the walls hadn't been able to keep all dangers out of the community.

Kyle had been the first to realise that something wasn't right; the four men had returned early without his father, the confident disposition that they'd all possessed prior to the supply run had now become diminished. They didn't even have to say the words, Kyle already knew that look. He'd seen it in his own father's eyes following the death of their mother.

When the sad news had reached Wren's ears, she only felt a certain numbness that prevented her from shedding even a single tear. None of it felt real to her. She'd always regarded her father as this invincible being; someone who could fight off any dangerous entity and still be home on time to help with the more domestic tasks around the community, so to lose him just felt unreal.

The people within the community truly felt the loss of Nathaniel Waring; they were lost without a capable individual to help guide them through every dangerous situation. But it wasn't just because he'd been their leader, Nathaniel had been their good friend. In such a chaotic world, the group had actually found it comforting to have their decisions made for them, to play the role of the sheep in the herd, if only because the pressure of staying alive had been passed onto someone else. Instead, their leader had been responsible for their wellbeing, sparing them of any excess pressure while being someone they could turn to – who they could trust. So without Nathaniel, the community felt somehow broken.

However, knowing that someone had to take over, Wren had decided to step in; to take on a position of power despite the pressure that came with it. At first glance, Wren Waring was a delicate looking thing; with big brown eyes and a warm smile that could bring light to even the coldest of places. But beneath her gentle exterior was a strong and ferocious woman who had always possessed a certain drive to protect those around her. And in this instance, her group were the subject of this determination. She'd quickly proved her worth to them; assigning jobs and organising their supplies just as her father had once done – but of course there were some things that were completely out of her control.

* * *

Dwight came through the gates with a smirk, just as he'd always done, casually striding through the community as if he owned the place. Since she hadn't been the leader for long, Wren had yet to partake in an…exchange with the man himself, the notorious leader of the Saviors. And frankly, she preferred it that way. Dwight was harmless to an extent, she didn't feel intimidated by him whatsoever, despite the hardened front he tried to wear.

The deal with the devil had been made months ago. Nathaniel Waring and his men had gotten cornered one day by the Saviors while on a supply run; it had been a completely unprovoked attack and their leader had been very persuasive in his bargaining – agreeing to spare their lives in exchange for half of what they had. Which would actually become a recurring arrangement.

Of course Wren's father had had no choice but to accept the deal, but his death had left Wren in charge of ensuring that these exchanges occurred without any problems – and it was a heavy burden to bear.

Wren gestured towards a few crates that had been readily prepared for his arrival. "It's all there. Food, medicine, weapons…"

"What the hell is this?" Dwight scoffed, glaring from the offering of supplies to Wren. "This isn't half. Not even close."

"Well I'm sorry but I couldn't let my people starve. It's been a rough harvest; we just don't have enough this time, but I'm sure we can—"

"Are you stupid or something?" Dwight took a step forward, raising his voice in an attempt to scare Wren into complying. "You work for Negan; everything you have belongs to Negan."

Wren shook her head, standing her ground. "I'm not going to let my people go hungry."

"I'll get Negan to come down here then. I'm sure he'll be able to persuade you, but I assure you it won't be a pretty sight."

"Fine. Bring him here." Wren replied firmly, although her tone was merely a means for her to mask her apprehension. "It's about time he got off his ass and managed his own affairs."

* * *

"What were you thinking? You're just asking for trouble bringing Negan back here." Kyle ran his hand through his hair, evidently stressed upon hearing how his sister's meeting with Dwight had gone down. "Dad wasn't scared of much but that guy was something else."

"I've got it under control…" Wren replied firmly, if only to try and convince herself that she actually had a plan. "Negan can't be that bad."

"Wren, I don't think a guy that carries a bat with barbed wire wrapped around it is very agreeable. Or stable for that matter."

"You could've been the leader, Kyle. I only stepped up because nobody else did."

"Maybe I should have. I just didn't think you could be so stupid." Kyle raised his voice, watching as Wren leaned back in her chair, trying to calm her own nerves at the thought of the inevitable meeting.

"What was I supposed to do? We're already on tight food rations and we've got 2 people in the infirmary that need treatment. There are children in this group..! I'm not going to let them or anyone else in this group die."

"Don't worry, because this guy's gonna storm in here and kill us all, you know. All because you think you're so smart trying to win against him – you can't win this fight, Wren so just stand down before someone gets hurt."

Wren shook her head. "I won't let that happen…" She muttered quietly, standing up from the chair.

"I'm sorry Wren, but you're way out of your league. Even Dad knew he wasn't strong enough to take this guy down – and you're nothing like him. You can try all you want but you're never gonna be what this group needs." Kyle said, his harsh words cutting through Wren like a knife.

"I'd like you to leave now. I need to get some sleep in case they come back tomorrow." Wren nodded towards the door and as soon as Kyle left, without so much as a goodbye, she curled up in her chair and closed her eyes; desperate to wake up to find that everything had fallen into place.

It had all been an act after all – Wren had no idea how she'd solve the problems faced by the community – and without a solution, there would surely be consequences.


	2. Chapter 2

Sure enough, the Saviors returned the following afternoon; apparently their compound wasn't too far from the little town that the community had worked so hard to maintain.

Having expected their visit, Wren been waiting by the gate since the early hours of the morning, just in case Negan was ruthless enough to break in overnight and kill all her people as they slept. She'd decided to avoid telling her people about her meeting with Dwight; fearing that the knowledge of Negan's expected arrival in their community would cause unnecessary worry. Although Wren herself had been unable to sleep, the guilt of what her stubbornness had potentially caused plaguing her mind; she'd tossed and turned for hours as images of Negan flashed in her mind. She'd only seen him once, a few months ago, when her father had first made the deal with him. The whole community had watched as the leader of the Saviors had laid down his terms; warning everyone that there would be a price to pay should his demands not be met. So why had Wren, despite hearing that initial warning, decided to go against him?

That afternoon, upon seeing Negan's truck pull up just outside the wall, Wren had called to her brother to make sure that everyone was indoors. She didn't want her people to grow concerned for their safety – nor did Wren want them to doubt her as a leader. When the people were safe in their homes, Wren opened the gate; frowning when she was met a smug grin from the bat-wielding man on the other side. He then walked into the town, making his way towards Wren with a confident stride as he slung his bat over his shoulder.

Negan stood before her, significantly taller and stronger than the small woman in front of him. It was intentional and part of his intimidation tactics; Negan wanted her to realise that the world was working in his favour, that she didn't stand a chance against him. But Wren refused to back down and stared him dead in the eye.

"Huh." Negan's smirk grew at the sight of her and, brow raised, he eyed her up and down, like a predator sizing up his prey. "Well this was not what I was fucking expecting. Look at her...!" He let out a raucous laugh, consequently prompting his men to do the same; it was as though there was some inside joke that Wren had unknowingly made herself the subject of.

She crossed her arms, watching him narrowly. "What's so funny?"

"It's nothing sweetheart." Negan said, although he still bore that grin. "It's just that I didn't expect the leader of this community to be so fucking small. Or doe-eyed. And Dwight told me you were fucking difficult." He leaned forward slightly, still emphasising his height as he towered above Wren. "Surely we can sort this out. Just give me half your shit and we're good to go."

Wren shook her head, "I already said no." Her tone was firm and her stare unwavering, even with Negan mere inches from her. "I won't let my people will starve to death. Not for you."

"Listen sweetheart. You don't call the shots around here, no you fucking don't. I know you didn't agree to this deal but there's no getting out of it now; you gather your shit and then you give it to me. It's pretty fucking simple really, even a complete fucking idiot could understand."

"Well maybe I'm just that stupid then." Wren muttered, glancing to the side briefly to see her brother on the side lines, his expression wrought with concern. "Look, I'm sure you 'Saviors' have enough food and medicine back at your compound. I'm sure you can manage without what we apparently owe you."

"Of course we can." Negan chuckled and shrugged. "But it never hurts to have extra. And I'm afraid that a deal's a deal." He then followed Wren's gaze to where Kyle was standing. "Last chance little birdie."

The reference to her name made Wren frown and she stepped forward. "I can't do it, I'm sorry. You can kill me if it'll make you feel better. Maybe it'll boost your already inflated ego to bash my skull in, I don't know. Just get on with it and we can all go back to our lives."

The evident bravery that Wren seemed to wear so openly actually impressed Negan; the way her big eyes never left his intense gaze and how she remained inches from him, where many others before her had trembled and pleaded for their lives, really said a lot about her character. But regardless of how much she enthralled him, Negan knew that he couldn't let it go. It would be a deformation of his character to walk away from Wren's community without taking what was rightfully his – which was why Negan decided to prolong the battle – to remain within his role as the ruthless villain.

With the wave of his hand, two of his men had grabbed Kyle by the arms; dragging him over to where Negan and Wren were standing and throwing him down on his knees before their leader. Wren stood there wide-eyed for a second as Negan brought his bat down to his side and waved it in her brother's face. "This here is Lucille. As you can see, she's capable of doing a whole lot of fucking damage if I let her." He turned to Wren, grinning wickedly as though to test her. Of course Negan was unaware that Kyle was her brother, but he could tell that she was the type of person who wouldn't allow anyone to die right in front of her.

Kyle glanced over his shoulder to look at his sister; concerned over what she'd agree to do in order to save his life. He recognised the turmoil in her eyes; he knew that his sister never liked to back down from a fight but he was also aware of how she would've done anything for him. "So what's it gonna be, Wren? His life or your shit."

"Let him get up. Now!" Wren shouted, relieved when Negan lowered his bat, almost disappointed that there was to be no blood shed. "We can make some other deal. I'm sure there are other things a megalomaniac asshole like you could settle for."

Kyle stood up quickly and moved to stand beside his sister. "You can't make a different deal with him, Wren…" He muttered in her ear. "Just give him everything we have, it's too risky."

"We can talk back at mine." Wren told Negan, deciding to ignore her brother's words of warning. "But you have to send your men to the truck. I don't trust them." She narrowed her eyes at Dwight.

Negan shrugged, "fine by me. But Lucille gets to come too, in case you get any fucking ideas."

* * *

Wren took Negan back to the small home she shared with her brother in the community. As expected, Kyle had wanted to oversee the meeting by his sister's side but Wren had insisted he make sure that the rest of their group were still unaware of what was happening. They weren't to know – not until a final agreement was made.

"Boy, you've got that guy on a fucking leash the way he follows you around." Negan chuckled as he sat down in the armchair and rested Lucille by his feet.

Wren turned to Negan with an irritated expression. "He's my brother."

"Well that fucking explains it. He doesn't want his sister to get hurt by the big bad wolf." Negan grinned widely but Wren brushed him off, eager to get their meeting over with.

"Let's get straight to the point." Wren insisted, taking a seat across from Negan. "You want what we don't actually have. It's a bit of an impossible situation."

Negan shrugged, "I don't think it's that fucking impossible, sweetheart. If you can't pay me, then you'll just have to move in and work for me directly. I could use the extra labour."

"You're joking." Wren paused, hoping for a response. When Negan didn't so much as chuckle, she realised that this was the only option – the only way to keep her community safe.

"They'll all hate me for this…" Wren sighed, running a hand through her brunette hair.

"Well maybe they should've fucking worked harder to meet their quota." Negan said firmly. "Listen, Wren, the compound's safe – safer than this place – and there's a shit load of supplies. All your people have to do is work to earn their keep, and of course pay me back for this fucking situation."

Wren couldn't believe how willing she was to accept. She hated the thought of living within the same walls as the sociopath before her just as much as she despised the man himself, but Wren also knew she'd be putting her whole group's lives at risk if she refused – that would no doubt result in a war – and one that her small community had no chance of winning.

"How do we go about doing this then?" Wren asked quietly, ignoring the voice in her head that was screaming at her to grab Negan's bat and finish him off herself.

"Oh ho, so that's a yes? Do we have a deal?" Negan chuckled, "that was easier than I thought..."

"Only because I don't want a war, Negan." She answered firmly. "My job is to keep my people safe. I'd do anything for them."

Satisfied with her answer, Negan stood up to leave, taking Lucille firmly within his grasp. "Those people of yours better be fucking grateful. I don't tolerate fucking slackers so they better be willing to work."

Wren nodded and showed Negan to the door; however when she opened it, she was surprised to find most of the community standing outside the house, waiting for her. They stood there, watching both Wren and Negan carefully, as though awaiting some kind of verdict. Well, their lives were essentially about to change forever...

"Well birdie, looks like it's time for your speech." Negan muttered in her ear in a mocking tone, before he threw his bat over his shoulder and made his own way towards the gate. "I'll be back tomorrow. Get your shit in order."

And all Wren could do at that was put on a brave face as she prepared to deliver the news that she knew cause the whole group to doubt her leadership abilities. She was already certain of how they were going to react – and her preconceptions were quickly proven to be accurate.


	3. Chapter 3

As Wren got out of bed that morning, she knew it was to be the worst day of her life.

While her mother's death a few years prior to the outbreak had caused a great deal of distress, along with the series of hardships she'd faced recently, admitting defeat to a man like Negan was something entirely different. It killed her to give into him…but there was no other way. Negan had made it perfectly clear that he was willing to do anything in order to get his own way; as much as Wren hated being ordered about and looked down upon by men, this was one instance where backing down was the best option.

Recalling the previous day, particularly her group's reaction to her announcement, made Wren feel physically sick. Within minutes, the community that her father had worked so hard to build had crumbled down into nothingness; with people either demanding they fight back or immediately packing to relocate their family elsewhere. A quarter of the group had walked out to be exact. While the others gathered what little they had in order to prepare for the move, despite their apprehension or downright disgust at the thought.

"Rise and shine, birdie. You got a long fucking day ahead of you!" Negan shouted from the front gate, standing on the other side with his bat in hand.

Wren emerged from the crowd, having been trying to calm her people down prior to Negan's arrival in the event that one of them foolishly attempted to play the hero. Of course a few of the male members of her group, Kyle included, followed her to the gate in case Negan decided to go back on their agreement. "Are they your fucking bodyguards or some shit?"

Deciding not to bite, Wren unlocked the gates in silence and watched through a bitter glare as Negan entered the community, with Dwight and a handful of other men in tow.

"I swear you had more people yesterday. What the fuck happened?" Negan asked, looking behind Wren to the apparently smaller group of people that stood there, watching him with caution.

"They chose to leave." Wren answered very matter-of-factly.

"Why didn't you fucking stop them?" Negan was beginning to interrogate Wren before they'd even reached his compound and Kyle took a step forward with his fists clenched, hating the way in which the man before them was speaking to his sister. But Wren was quick to shake her head; knowing that picking a fight this early on was sure to lead to dire consequences.

"I don't advocate force, my people have never been prisoners. Anyone is free to leave whenever they want." Came her calm, yet clearly passive-aggressive, response. "But I guess that's not your style of leadership right?"

Negan disregarded Wren's comment and instead smirked smugly as she walked away to help her people, instead turning his attention to Kyle. "Is your sister always this fucking bratty?"

Kyle's eyes became narrow slits as he watched Negan's smile spread from ear to ear, evidently enjoying every minute of this. Frankly, Negan loved to play mind games and he could tell that Wren's brother was an easy target – the two siblings were clearly close after all. "But she sure ain't bad to look at." Negan glanced from Kyle to Wren, who had bent down to pick up a box. "Now that's a nice ass…"

When Kyle sucked in a breath, supressing the urge to punch Negan right there, the man in question nudged him. "You think your sister would be up for it?"

"The only reason I've not killed you already is for the group. Otherwise you'd be dead."

Negan grinned wickedly and pointed his bat at Kyle, his tone dangerously low as he stared dead in the young man's eyes. "I think you're mistaken. You're only fucking alive because your sister agreed to this fucking deal. You couldn't kill me but I could still bash your fucking skull in if I wanted to." He patted his shoulder, his smile returning as Wren headed back over. "Well, you better get the truck loaded up."

"That guy's bad news, Wren. I hate all of this." Kyle muttered as he passed by his sister.

"So do I." She whispered in return, watching Negan closely. "But what other choice do we have?"

"Come over here, little birdie. I need to talk to you." Negan waved her over, his tone almost patronising.

Wren rolled her eyes and did what he requested. "What do you want."

"A smile would be nice." Wren inhaled deeply before forcing a sweet yet cynical smile; the kind that only further emphasised her sheer annoyance with the man before her. "See, that's fucking better!"

"What do you want, Negan." Wren repeated, her expression quickly returning to one of impatience.

"Hurry up and get your shit. You're riding back with me."

"Do I even get a choice?" Wren asked, glancing back at her group. "I'm not going until they're all ready. I'm their leader, they need me to—"

Negan let out a loud laugh at that; apparently Wren had cracked some kind of joke without even knowing about it.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, sorry doll. It's just that I could've sworn you called yourself their leader." Negan shook his head, his laughter ceasing but his smirk still in place. "I'll relieve you of those duties right there."

"No." Wren shook her head. "Those people are a part of my group."

"And now they're joining my group; therefore they're my fucking people and I'm their fucking leader." Negan shrugged casually. "It makes sense doesn't it? You understand the situation right?" While Wren intended her expression to make her irritation apparent, Negan thought the frown she wore to be cute and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, bringing her close against his chest. "There there, Wren. Surely you're relieved…it's a big responsibility leading a group and you're—"

"Is it because I'm short? Or because I'm a woman?" Wren bit back, immediately pulling away from him. "I'm more than capable of making it in this world. We were making it, and that was down to me. _I_ helped these people to survive. And I'm going to carry on doing that, even if you try to make me part of your 'machine.'"

Negan grimaced, realising that his lack of tact had well and truly gotten under Wren's skin. However, he wasn't about to let Wren leave him speechless, not when his men were watching. "Understood. Now get in the truck, would you?"

Wren looked up at him, realising that his tone was oddly soft – as though he was begging her to do as he said so as not to show him up – or to harm his reputation.

"I don't trust you." Wren stated firmly, as though it was a solid fact.

"I don't fucking care." Negan responded, his expression hardening slightly as he felt both his men and Wren's group watching him. "Get in the damn truck, don't let us get off to a bad start."

Wren pulled a face to demonstrate her frustration, before begrudgingly following Negan to the truck. "Wouldn't it make more sense to wait?" Wren questioned as she climbed into the passenger seat and stared out of the window, watching as Negan's men loaded up the second vehicle.

"No, because I want to talk to you alone." Negan said sternly, starting up the truck before driving away from Wren's community. She took one final look as the walls quickly faded into the distance; everything her father had worked hard to construct becoming no more than a memory to her.

"Aren't you at least a bit cautious?"

Negan raised an eyebrow at Wren's odd statement. "What do you mean?"

"Doesn't being on your own with me…intimidate you a little? I could kill you, you know."

Again, more laughter from Negan ensued. "You're a fucking riot, doll. You should be scared of me."

"You don't scare me."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?" Negan glanced briefly over at Wren before returning his attention to the road ahead.

"I've met men like you before." Wren replied. "And I didn't let them break me. I never lose."

"While your spirit's admirable, you gotta understand that you're in my fucking town now." Negan's tone was firm. "You do as I say, you and your people, you follow my fucking orders…then we'll get along great."

Wren paused for a moment, before she decided to test the waters. "And what if I don't want to play happy families?"

"You will. I fucking promise you that, doll." Negan licked his lips, quickly throwing Wren a sideways glance, before he pulled the truck over. "I can show you now if you want."

Unsure as to what he was getting at exactly, Wren inched back in the seat as Negan turned to face her, a large hand on her thigh. "I can play nice when I want to, you know." He grinned widely and moved his hand further up Wren's leg, hating the fact that she was wearing jeans and not an article of clothing that granted him easy access to what he sought between her thighs.

However, Wren felt entirely different about the situation and was quick to slap Negan's hand away. "Touch me like that again and I will kill you." She warned sternly, although there was an edge of panic to her tone.

"What's wrong, doll?" Negan cocked his head to the side, a playful smirk in place, still staring at Wren's legs…then at her lips. "Don't you want us to hit it off?"

"Keep your hands to yourself." Wren asserted, still trying to put a bit of space between her and Negan. It wasn't him that scared her, however, it was having a part of her past resurface that did. It was revealing that shred of vulnerability that made her feel weak. "I know your type, and I don't trust you at all."

Sensing that his flirtatious behaviour was causing Wren some distress, Negan decided to accept her wishes and returned his attention to the steering wheel; continuing on with their short journey to the Sanctuary. "I'm sorry." Negan uttered after several minutes of silence had passed. "And I don't say that often so fucking savour it now."

Wren stayed quiet, staring out of the window.

"Listen, I don't want you to think that…I would never…" Negan cleared his throat, a little disappointed that Wren could think so little of him. "I'm not that kind of guy. I'm a jerk yeah, but I'd never force myself on a woman, so you have nothing to be afraid of."

"Don't flatter yourself, Negan." Wren muttered, still avoiding his strong stare, instead observing the dismal scenery they passed by. "You don't scare me, I already said so."

Throwing one final glance her way, Negan could tell from the distant expression on Wren's face that she wasn't as confident around him as she made out. It was all an act, perhaps to protect herself from harm, and while Negan admired the strength she wore so well he couldn't help but wonder what she was really thinking. Did she despise him as much as she made out? And was she actually scared of the bat-wielding sociopath who had claimed everything her father had worked for?

Regardless, Negan knew that he couldn't afford to let his guard down. He had a position to defend, a reputation to uphold, and nobody was going to change his machine; the almost clockwork-like system which Negan had spent years constructing to fit the blueprints within his mind was of his brilliant design and was without flaws or faults. As such, Negan intended to keep it that way.

But then again, all it takes is one defiant cog to disrupt the order of a machine.


	4. Chapter 4

A week had passed since Wren's group had been combined with Negan's; with them moving into his Sanctuary and quickly being assigned a task that supposedly fit their ability well. While Wren had tried to maintain a position of authority over those who had moved from their original community, her efforts hadn't been entirely successful; with Negan being sure to assert his authority and lay down the new law – his law – from the get go.

Negan had been quick to divvy out the jobs accordingly; with the men he deemed strong and capable either aiding with supply runs or maintain security within the compound, while the women were given more domestic tasks. Already, that was one thing that frustrated Wren.

She was used to being in a position of power, of giving every member of her group the chance to prove themselves – regardless of their gender – so to have Negan dictate matters in such a…patriarchal and almost old-fashioned way really didn't sit well with her.

Which was why she had been determined to perform terribly in every job Negan placed her in; purposely cooking recipes incorrectly and leaving the weaponry in a more disorganised state than when she initially entered it. At first, Negan had assumed that Wren was just a bad cook but it didn't take long for him to twig onto her true intentions.

"How're things going this time, Wren?" Negan asked one morning as Wren was working in the laundry room with a few other women who had been in the Sanctuary longer than her. Negan had placed Wren there in the hopes that the influence of a few older women would make her settle down and become somewhat obedient to his rule, but instead he found her joking around with the others and barely working at all. In fact, nobody in the room appeared to be working.

Wren turned towards the door when Negan entered, but she didn't stop laughing or throw a respectful look of acknowledgement his way, even when the other women in the room did as he expected.

"Shouldn't you be working?" Negan raised an eyebrow when he noticed the large pile of laundry that had barely been touched. "All of you. You've been in here for a fucking hour and look at this shit. Stop talking and get to work. I don't pay you to slack off."

The other women bowed their heads apologetically but Wren refused to bend to his will, smirking at him while meeting his stern stare. "I didn't realise you paid us at all."

"I pay you in points, which you can use to buy things you need. You'd know about that if you actually fucking worked once in a fucking while."

Wren raised an eyebrow, "maybe I'm just not suited to these domestic tasks?"

"It's not fucking hard." Negan was becoming visibly frustrated and sucked in a breath, trying to act calm so as not to give Wren the reaction she clearly sought out. "There's the water, there's the detergent, there's the laundry." He pointed to each entity as though to further clarify the simplicity of the task.

"Oh I don't know. I don't think my tiny lady brain can handle all this hard work." She took a shirt from the pile beside her and held it up, feigning a look of utter bewilderment. "Is this black or white? I simply cannot handle all this pressure, oh holy one…"

A couple of the women tried their hardest to stifle a laugh at Wren's sarcasm, while the others quickly returned to their work; both eager to please Negan and desperate to avoid witnessing the wrath that Wren was sure to receive as a result of her insubordination.

"Wren, I need a fucking word with you. Outside." It wasn't a request at all and, deciding it would be best for the other women in the room, Wren decided to take her disrespect outside. Besides, the tone he used did intimidate her a little bit; it signified that he was close to blowing a fuse.

"Why do you keep fucking doing this? Do you really find this fucking shit funny?"

"I don't know what you mean…" Wren answered smugly, leaning against the doorframe.

"I refuse to believe for one fucking second that you're incapable of doing laundry. Just like I know believe your stunts in the kitchen and in storage were also bullshit."

Wren shrugged, "I told you. I don't like being cooped up inside when I know I'm capable of more than that. I always let my group pick their jobs and they always worked hard because they were satisfied…maybe take a leaf out of my book? A little tip from one leader to another?"

"You're playing a dangerous fucking game. This is a big fucking adjustment for you, I get it, especially since you used to be top fucking dog back in your community. You still think you're some kind of fucking hero with fucking responsibilities – I get it, I can be reasonable. But this shit has gone on far too fucking long now so you can either sort your fucking behaviour out or I'll have to clip your fucking wings. Understand, birdie?"

A part of Wren wanted to come out with another funny quip, but the way in which Negan was tightly holding Lucille down by his side was enough to indicate that he wouldn't be receptive to any stab at humour that came out of Wren's mouth. So she bit her tongue and instead threw him a bitter frown.

"Good. Glad I made myself fucking clear." Negan nodded, apparently satisfied with the lack of backchat, and turned to leave.

However, Wren just couldn't resist. As always, she just had to have the last word. Negan couldn't think that he'd won – ever.

"Even if you clip a bird's wings, they don't stop singing you know." Wren smiled when Negan turned back around, his eyes wide with disbelief at her almost childlike impudence. "I'm just saying."

* * *

Despite her desperation to maintain her stubbornness out of protest, Wren knew that there was no way Negan would ever let her take on one of the more exciting tasks so, defeated at last, she carried out her laundry duties before heading to her room; however, she caught sight of Dwight and a woman whom she recognised to be one of Negan's 'wives' talking just outside the building. Curiosity taking over, Wren decided to casually walk by and listen to what they were saying; the exchange appeared unusual to say the least, with the pair talking in whispers and Dwight repeatedly glancing over his shoulder. Wren recalled one of the women mentioning something about Dwight's wife, Sherry, being married to Negan now and chose to jump to the conclusion that this was the woman in question.

"Negan's going out to collect a debt tomorrow morning…" Dwight uttered, his body inches from Sherry's. "Meet me, in our usual place, okay?"

Sherry nodded, if only a little reluctantly, her voice nothing more than a hushed whisper that Wren was only able to make out by reading her lips. "I will. I love you."

Wren didn't even need to stick around for the whole conversation; what she'd heard pretty much confirmed that the situation she'd come across was exactly as it had seemed. Frankly, she was just thankful for their sake that it was her that had seen the couple together and not someone who would've actually ran straight to Negan with the juicy details. Because there were plenty of devout followers that would've loved to use the situation to their advantage; it certainly would've acted as concrete proof of one's loyalty to Negan, thus further securing their position as one of his most trusted allies. But Wren didn't care for Negan or his community.

Now, Wren did pity this woman to an extent – she felt sorry for anyone who actually agreed to the sordid arrangement of being married to Negan – but for Sherry to leave her husband for a man as ruthless as the leader of the Saviors, that was something else entirely. It couldn't have been easy and she imagined the situation hadn't become much better since then.

Wren couldn't stand being in the same room as Negan, let alone in the same bed. It was just his way of feeling all the more superior, Wren figured, since Negan evidently regarded himself as the ruler of his kingdom and that everything within the fence belonged to him – including people and their families. His workers were just objects; hence why Wren was certain that his 'wives' were no exception to this entirely patriarchal view.

But at the same time, Wren did hold some disgust towards anyone that agreed to degrade themselves in such a manner, just for good food and nice clothes. Of course Negan had approached a few of the women from Wren's community – and Wren herself – about the 'beneficial arrangement' as he had put it, yet she had made sure that none of her people accepted; desperate to continue looking out for them even when stripped of her official title. As for Wren, she had laughed at the offer and thrown it straight back in Negan's face.

 _"You're crazier than I thought if you think I'd agree to join your sleazy little harem."_ Wren had insisted, while ensuring that there was a comfortable amount of space between her and the man before her. _"I'd rather be walker bait."_

_"Maybe you shouldn't knock it until you try it, birdie. There are plenty of benefits if you're my wife."_

His typical cockiness had made Wren roll her eyes; ignoring the insinuations that Negan was making, because she wasn't interested in the slightest.

_"I don't want anything you're offering, so you can take your amazing proposal and shove it up your ass."_

_"Fine, be that fucking way. I'm deeply offended birdie."_

After that, Wren had simply walked away; her resolve to avoid becoming one of Negan's possessions set in stone. It wasn't just because Negan was such a ruthless and repulsive individual to her that she was so adamant to refuse the offer, nor was it that Wren was determined to maintain her reputation and her independence.

Wren had meant what she'd said when she'd met men like Negan before, and she refused to fall back into yet another trap.


	5. Chapter 5

Negan couldn't stop thinking about Wren that night.

He didn't have a clue why; frankly, he thought she was an uppity bitch who needed to be put into line as soon as possible. Her attempts to be difficult really had been grating and, well, Negan had been close to knocking her down a few pegs on more than one occasion. So why hadn't he?

Maybe it was Negan's competitive side speaking to him; urging him to push on with the battle that Wren herself had initiated, and that using physical force would've been too easy – and it probably would've pushed the young woman further down the uncooperative path she'd chosen to take. Subsequently, perhaps Negan enjoyed having Wren around to spar with. Despite the fact that she was stubborn and highly infuriating, she did make things more interesting. Nor was she unattractive by any means.

Of course Negan had taken a good look at her features more than once. From the get-go, he'd noted that she was in possession of a nice ass, round lips and those doe eyes…even when they were narrowed in frustration at him, she really did have an effect on the self-proclaimed Sanctuary leader.

Negan did enjoy to play games, especially when it came to women intent on playing hard to get – it just made the eventual victory so much sweeter.

* * *

Since there run-in the other day, Wren had been determined to avoid Negan at all costs. It wasn't that she felt intimidated by him, not in the slightest, this plan stemmed more from her desire to just continue pushing on with things. Of course Wren still resented the new arrangements but she figured it would be a lot easier to adjust if she didn't have to see the cause of her frustration every single day.

Yet Negan seemed to have other ideas.

Before he was due to collect what was owed from a nearby camp, he noticed the young woman leaving her room and decided to approach her, with a typically cocky grin in place of course. "Good morning birdie."

Deciding to ignore him, Wren continued to walk away, frowning when she heard his footsteps follow her.

"I said, good fucking morning, birdie." His tone was slightly less cheerful this time and Wren glanced over her shoulder with narrowed eyes.

"Morning." Came her curt reply, making it clear that she didn't have the patience to speak to him.

"Shit sweetheart, try to fucking lighten up, would you?"

"Is that another order?" She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to pretend I'm happy to see you."

"Oh wow, put me down as fucking shocked." Negan took another confident stride towards Wren. "I don't know why you're so fucking sure you hate me, Wren. We have a lot in common."

"No we don't." She shook her head quickly, her facial expression one of pure disgust. "In what way are we the same?"

Negan shrugged, disregarding her offense. "Well for a start we're both leaders, strong leaders."

"I'm not anymore though, remember? You relieved me of my duties and made me a dainty little laundry maid…"

"Sass me all you fucking want darling, I love that smart fucking mouth of yours." He bore a wicked grin as he leaned down slightly, eyeing Wren closely. "I like that kind of fire in a woman."

"Is that why you like Sherry and all your other 'wives'? Because they're full of fire?" Wren scoffed before muttering something inaudible under her breath. Regarding the conversation she'd overheard the other night.

However, Negan was apparently eager to learn what she had said. "What was that, birdie?"

"Nothing really. I was just thinking aloud." She turned to leave but Negan grabbed her arm.

"No, I'm curious. You normally love shooting that pretty fucking mouth of yours off, so if you've got something to say, fucking say it."

"Fine. I was just thinking about how polygamy is usually frowned upon but sharing Sherry with Dwight doesn't bother you." She smiled sarcastically. "You must really love her."

Wren tried to leave but Negan continued to hold onto her arm, his brows knitted together as he absorbed Wren's words. That was when she realised what she'd just unintentionally insinuated.

"Do you know something I don't Wren?" Negan's tone was audibly different and it instantly made Wren realise that she'd made a huge slip-up. "Why are you so fucking quiet all of a sudden? Speak the fuck up or I'll see if your brother can help."

Closing her eyes, Wren couldn't ignore the guilt that washed over her at that moment, but she knew the damage had already been done with her initial muttering. "I heard Sherry and Dwight talking. That's all."

"Just talking?" Negan raised an eyebrow, not believing what he was being told. "Because you've gone pretty fucking quiet all of a sudden."

When Wren didn't utter another word, Negan saw red. He wasn't someone to be easily fooled and so to have Wren blatantly lie to him really did rile him up – but it made it even worse that he'd heard such a thing from Wren – the one person within the compound that got a kick out of undermining his authority.

"Say no more." Negan straightened upright and began to walk away, holding onto Lucille tightly. "I guess I'll have to cancel my trip today."

At that point, Wren remained silent. She didn't know what to do and was apprehensive that any further involvement would worsen the situation. All she could do was hope that Dwight and Sherry were exceptional liars, because she had well and truly dropped them in it, even if that had been completely unintentional.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Wren didn't see Negan nor Dwight and Sherry, perhaps since she was keen to avoid all contact with the apparent love triangle. Deciding to stay out of the way, she kept herself busy with the tasks that Negan had appointed her with – much to her chagrin – and didn't leave the laundry room until she'd finished.

On her eventual journey back to her room, Wren passed by the infirmary and the sound of pained screams caught her attention. The sound alone gave her chills; having only heard cries of that degree from those she had witnessed being torn apart by the undead. Peeking around the door, Wren recognised Dwight sat slumped over on the bed, his head hung as his body trembled; evidently trying to supress his agony.

"You shouldn't be in here…" The doctor told Wren, moving to close the door. However, Dwight looked up quickly, coming face to face with Wren. And that was when she saw the cause of his pain. The pain that she had essentially inflicted upon him.

Wren stopped, feeling as though someone had just removed her vocal chords. Her throat burned but she couldn't speak. She wanted to apologise, to say something – anything – that would at least alleviate some of her guilt. But she didn't get the chance to; the door was closed before she could take a second look, before she could comprehend the severity of Negan's system of 'justice.'

However, while the chilling image she'd just laid eyes upon was a reminder that Negan was capable of just about anything to ensure that order prevailed within his dictatorship, Wren couldn't resist voicing her disgust at what she'd seen.

* * *

Negan was sat outside having a few drinks with his closest associates when Wren stormed over. "I need to talk to you." She insisted quickly, barely giving Negan the chance to respond before she walked towards the gate, indicating that he follow her. Negan threw his men a grin before he joined Wren, eagerly awaiting what she had to say.

"I knew you couldn't resist me, little birdie…" Negan smirked, deciding to play mind games even though he had a good idea of why she'd come to find him. "You just can't stay away, can you?"

Wren ignored his flirting once more. "So that's how you maintain order, scarring people for life."

Negan shrugged, "I don't know why you're so surprised. What did you think would happen when you told me?"

"Don't you dare bring me into this..!" She sucked in a breath, "I didn't ask for this!"

"No? Then why were you trying to cause trouble in the first fucking place?" Negan examined her closely with a raised brow. "Face it doll, I know you fucking love playing the part of the earth warrior, but deep down you're more like me. Dwight offended you before, so you wanted to get your own back…" His voice was low, his tone almost dangerous.

"That's not true. I'm nothing like you." Wren was so offended by what Negan had said that she hadn't even realised that he'd closed the space between them; towering over her with their faces mere inches apart.

"You fucking love being in control. Knowing about Dwight and Sherry fucking behind my back gave you that power over someone and you fucking loved it. That makes you a hell of a lot like me, whether you fucking like it or not, Wren."

"You're a sicko and a sadist." Wren spat back, fists clenched. "You're getting off on this."

Negan grinned wickedly, sensing Wren tense up when he reached out his hand to hold her arm. "Am I getting off on seeing you so pissed off at me?" He leaned forward so that his lips brushed against her ear. "Yes I fucking am. It's a shame that you're not interested otherwise I'd gladly help you relieve that stress you're clearly carrying around with you."

"I don't need anything from you or anyone else." Wren furrowed her brow. "I've see the way you look at me, like I'm some toy just lying around for your amusement, and it needs to stop Negan. I'm a person, not your possession. And I'm not your damn bird either. So get over yourself and start treating people with respect because you're a disgusting creep to me. It's obvious you just see women as pieces of meat that you can stick your dick in for your daily ten minutes of pleasure. I feel sorry for your wives; they feel like they have to please you to survive and that's not right."

Although Negan had never let anything Wren had said to him before get under his skin, knowing that Wren thought so little of him did offend him greatly and he unconsciously gripped her arm tightly, not wanting her to leave with those words still lingering on her lips. "I am not the kind of man you think I am. I told you the day I brought you here, I respect women and I would never deliberately make you or any other female at the compound feel uncomfortable. Do I make myself fucking clear Wren?"

Wren didn't say a word at that. Of course the tone in Negan's voice alone was enough to accentuate that he meant every word of what he was saying; despite being a violent man, he had never displayed that severity on any woman within the Sanctuary, and Wren knew that he would never hurt her regardless of how often she got under his skin. But such thoughts would always cause those sharp flashes of memories to invade Wren's mind, if only for a brief second.

Even in such a haunting present day, the ghostly hand of the past still managed to grab at her without fail.


	6. Chapter 6

PRE-APOCALYPSE: 4 YEARS AGO

Wren went to work early that night. Anywhere was better than being at home, than being with him. Even if that meant she had to strip herself of any identity for a few hours just to pay the rent.

Of course she hated what she did for money but someone had to work to keep their little family afloat; there was no other way, no other career path for Wren to pursue, so she'd chosen to use her feminine qualities to her advantage. It was that simple. It was all she could do to survive.

But that was all she was doing – surviving – instead of _living_.

Wren recalled how happy she had been once, but the flame had long-since burnt out to a mere flicker, and then nothing. Sure, there had been one positive outcome from it all, her sole purpose for keeping her head above water, but other than that? No. All Wren had left were memories of a time that was now forever out of reach; they'd been washed away by a sea of alcohol, one that he'd drowned in months ago.

Regardless of how often she contemplated running away, of packing her things and leaving him lonely, Wren was always unable to take that crucial step. She would always go back home at the end of the day. But on that fateful night, she returned to find that her life would change forever.

* * *

PRESENT DAY

After their heated discussion the previous day, Wren had been as determined as ever to avoid Negan; she knew he'd been serious and that her harsh assumption of his character had offended him. Negan was nothing like him, Wren knew that, yet every time he so much as looked at her she was reminded of her past life. But it was expected that Wren was keen to keep her life before the world ended from Negan and everyone else at the compound; only Kyle knew about such history and she intended to keep it that way.

But of course Wren's behaviour intrigued Negan. Her hostility towards him and the way in which she fearlessly refused to obey his rules or kneel upon command really had made an impression on the otherwise unchallenged leader of the Saviors.

Kyle, on the other hand, had decided to play the game by Negan's rules – it wasn't like he had much of a choice after all – but of course this was much to the chagrin of his younger sister.

There had been more than a few occasions where Wren had watched with a frown from afar as her brother pleased Negan with a selection of scavenged goods, cracked a smile at Negan's wit…she felt sick to her stomach every time Kyle got down on his knees. However, every time she'd questioned such obedience, Kyle had met her with a guarded tone; insisting that it was the only way to ensure that his life was guaranteed, which was definitely true, even if Wren refused to admit it.

"Kyle, can I speak to you for a minute?" Negan called to Wren's brother as he sat in the armoury loading up one of the guns.

Wanting to get whatever Negan wanted over with, Kyle was quick to stand up and follow Negan outside. "What can I do for you?"

"Listen, I know we got off to a bad fucking start but, well, you're a good worker. A real fucking trooper."

"Thank you." Kyle responded quickly, already feeling anxious as a result of the bizarre niceness Negan was radiating in that moment. It was completely out of character, hence why he was largely taken aback.

"How'd you like to join me and my men for a drink tonight?" Negan cracked a grin. "I might even let you screw with one of my wives, if they're up for it. How does that sound?"

While Kyle couldn't help but think of Wren and how she'd react to such an offer, he knew it would be incredibly stupid to refuse; especially since it had become clear that Negan didn't propose gatherings with his men often, or at least, only with a select few. Which apparently now consisted of Kyle too. So he nodded in acceptance, feigned some gratitude for the opportunity, then watched as Negan turned to leave.

But then he stopped, and turned his body around to face Kyle once more, an almost contemplative look in place. "Tell your sister she's welcome to join us. I haven't seen her around lately…" Negan raised his brow. "Is everything okay with her?"

Deciding to play to Negan's favour, Kyle chuckled as though it were nothing. "You know Wren, she's too stubborn for her own good. Been sulking in her room all day."

Negan joined Kyle in laughing at that. "Women right? Well you invite your sister, tell her it'll be my way of apologising."

"Will do." Kyle's smile was forced as he watched Negan walk away again, leaving behind a strange conflicting feeling in the pit of his stomach. Of course his loyalties would always lie with his sister but being on Negan's side was undoubtedly the safer and more logical option. Especially after witnessing the punishment enacted upon Dwight a mere day before.

* * *

"You're joking right?" Wren raised an eyebrow. "Drinks with Negan? I'll pass…"

"I know he's a complete shithead…"

"Yeah, you got that right."

"But you have to understand how much better things will be if we both get on his good side." Kyle glanced towards the bedroom door. "We could get enough points to really demonstrate to Negan that we're serious about working for him. Then it'll just be a matter of climbing the ladder and into his inner circle."

"Oh, that sounds simple enough. And maybe I'll accept his offer and jump into his bed while we're at it." Wren scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "No way, Kyle. You can go and kiss his ass but me? I'm going to stay here and plan my escape from this place."

And that's exactly what Wren did.

Eventually she ventured outside and began skulking up and down the yard, staring longingly at the gate in the hopes that a cunning plan would come to mind. Yet even with an idea, opportunity still wasn't present; it was unmistakeable that Negan had his compound on constant lock-down and hadn't spared the security, hence why Wren's chances of slipping out unnoticed were basically non-existent.

But then she got a closer look at the man on guard duty. And suddenly, Wren felt more inclined than ever to get away from Negan's sanctuary.

If there was anyone to blame for Wren's somewhat bitter outlook on life, her inability to look at Negan without feeling a deep sense of anxiety and anger, it was him.

Wren had had a life before him. She had ambition for the future and an infectious optimism for life, but all of that had ultimately gone up in flames. His own demons had torn apart the one good thing in Wren's life at that time, stripping her of everything but her name, and she didn't even regard that as holding much value. There was nothing left after that day. Nothing at all for Wren to fight for, little reason for her to stay alive. If it hadn't been for her father and brother, Wren would've forfeited right there. Because she truly had been left with nothing.

* * *

PRE-APOCALYPSE: 4 YEARS AGO

Wren heard the sirens first. The blaring sound that echoed throughout the neighbourhood was difficult to ignore, along with the bright lights that signaled danger and devastation were nearby. The road had been blocked off by such vehicles and a sea of onlookers so Wren had to abandon her car and push her way through the crowds; stopping dead in her tracks when she realised whose home was at the centre of attention. Whose life had suddenly become the entire neighbourhood's business.

The roof had been greatly damaged; stripped bare of its tiles much like the windows had lost their glass and the bricks had been stained an ash grey. Not only that, a thick cloud of smoke still filled the air, accompanying the eerie atmosphere that could've swallowed Wren up there and then. But it didn't feel real at all; it was like Wren was stuck in some nightmare, where all she could do was stand on the side-lines while everything she knew fell apart around her. Nobody would give her answers, nobody would even look in her direction. It was like Wren was invisible and she almost wished she could disappear right there; however, certain thoughts kept her there in that moment, still seeking an explanation for the shocking events that had occurred in her absence. When she reached the barrier, she noticed him sitting in the back of the ambulance, a solemn yet drunken expression on his smoke-stained face. It was a face she so desired to slap, because the look he gave her was enough to indicate that he had made yet another reckless error as a result of his love affair with the bottle. It wasn't him that Wren sought after however, not in the slightest.

Slipping under the barrier, Wren ran over to him in the hopes of making sense of this whole crazy situation. But then she stopped in her tracks, frozen in place at the sight of the small body bag being carted out of the house. That was the moment when it all became real. And that one good thing had been stripped from Wren's life indefinitely.


	7. Chapter 7

"And I thought things couldn't get any worse."

He turned to look at Wren and was quick to realise who she was, shock spreading across his face upon seeing her alive and well in a world that had fallen apart not long after their own lives – their life together – had disintegrated faster than they could've ever imagined.

Reluctantly, he stepped away from the gate, slowly heading over to where Wren stood, frozen in time and unable to speak. The air suddenly thickened around her and she just couldn't breathe, especially when he stood right before her.

"Wren…oh my god, I didn't think I'd ever find you…"

"Why the hell are you here." She muttered in response as memories of their past life came flooding back.

"I could ask you the same thing. I've been here months now, earning my keep. Negan is a tough guy to work for, but a fair leader I guess." He smiled, almost desperate to soften Wren's hardened expression. "Who'd have thought that we'd meet again after the world had ended. It's crazy right?"

"David, stop talking." Wren shook her head and took a step back. "How can you be like this? Talking to me like we're two old friends happy to see each other…"

"Well I am happy to see you." David shrugged, still smiling somewhat. "Why wouldn't I be? We were close in the past, surely you haven't forgotten that?"

"Unfortunately I can't." Came Wren's sharp reply. "And frankly, I would've been happier to never see you again. It would give me great pleasure to see you go outside of these gates and get ripped to pieces."

David chuckled as though he were trying to mask his offence. "You don't mean that…"

"You're right. You shouldn't even be here, you should've died when you burnt our house down. When you killed our little girl."

"That's not fair, Wren. You know that was an accident."

"You could've been a man. You could've saved her. But you were too drunk to get off your ass!"

"Hey, if you hadn't been whoring it up, it wouldn't have even happened."

At that, Wren swept her palm clean across his face. "I did everything I could to keep our family afloat because you couldn't stay sober long enough to hold down a job. If you think I enjoyed doing the things I did then you're even more deluded than I thought you were."

"Can't we just move on?" David grimaced, apparently not intending to retaliate after Wren's outburst. "That was years back and I haven't touched a drink in ages – it's hard to be a raging alcoholic nowadays. I'm trying to be a productive member of society here, you should give me a chance too. You might even fall for me again." He winked, a cocky smirk in place.

"I fell out of love with you a very long time before the fire...that was just the final nail in the coffin." Wren insisted, her expression blank. "Now I have things to do. Hopefully I won't see you around."

"Ruby would've died anyway!" David shouted after Wren, stopping her in her tracks. "This world ain't exactly the place to raise a kid. Maybe…maybe things worked out for the best."

"You didn't just say that." Wren stared wide-eyed at him for a moment, astonished that even he'd be able to say something so cruel so casually. "If only I had a gun right now."

"You really don't mean that, you're just upset. I know me being alive is a shock to you but you'll come around eventually…you always did right?" He laughed, smug smirk in place.

"I _hate_ you, David." Wren hissed, clenching her fists together. "You disgust me, and you're fucking delusional if you think I'd come running back to you after all this time. In fact, you better stay away from me from now on."

"You're being unreasonable, Wren!" David called after her as she quickly walked back inside. "You can't avoid me forever, we'll have to talk about this eventually!"

"No. No we won't." Wren clenched her teeth, anger searing through her body at the memory of that night. "Because if you come near me, I will kill you."

Wren didn't look back. She couldn't bring herself to take a moment to acknowledge the reality of the situation. Her husband – ex-husband – was alive. Ever since their divorce, Wren had hoped to never cross paths with the man who had taken everything from her and the apocalypse, as terrifying as it had been, had also presented Wren with the silver lining of never having to see him. In fact, she'd long-since assumed David to have died. Or perhaps that had been nothing more than wishful thinking.

Her head spinning, Wren found herself roaming the hall until she reached the armoury. Knocking once, she was pleased to hear no answer and, guessing that those in charge were on a break and Negan was still drinking amongst his so-called friends, Wren entered. Since her assigned job at the Sanctuary took place within its secure boundaries, Negan had stripped Wren of her weapons upon arrival…or at least that had been his reasoning for doing so. But now that she'd come face to face with the past she'd been desperate to forget, Wren felt it was necessary for her to at least have a weapon handy. Wren wondered what to arm herself with; a blade would've been easier to hide but a long-ranged weapon would've been more useful in the event of a surprise attack – walker or otherwise. Hearing voices at the end of the corridor outside, Wren quickly pocketed the closest knife and slipped out of the room, hopefully undetected. Nobody really knew her so only those close to Negan would've challenged her reasons for being in the armoury in the late hours of the night.

Unless of course she ran into the leader himself.

He whistled to grab her attention, approaching her with a few long strides while Wren stood still, wondering if he'd seen her leave the room.

"What're you so far away from your nest, birdie?"

Wren turned around to see Negan and his right-hand man, Simon, watching her closely. "You know you're not supposed to go down these parts…"

"I got lost," Wren replied quickly, trying to keep her composure. "Just wanted to get my bearings."

"Is that right?" Negan cocked his head to the side, a wicked grin in place as though the situation amused him. "Hand it over."

Wren sucked in a breath and smiled as innocently as she could manage. "Hand what over?"

The leader chuckled and shook his head. "You just left the armoury. I don't think you went there just to get your bearings, did you?"

"You've got no proof." She told him, folding her arms across her chest. "And you can't frisk me."

"Well I wouldn't be complaining if I had to…" Negan grinned.

"Should I search her, Negan?" Simon asked, watching Wren narrowly.

"No, she'll hand it over. Won't you birdie?"

Knowing that Negan was aware of the knife in her pocket, Wren knew she had to admit defeat this time. But how could she?

"I need it." She insisted, thinking back to the smug look David had given her at the gate.

"And why do you need to arm yourself? We have good security here, nothin's getting in here."

"Please, just—"

"He said hand it over!" Simon shouted, taking a step forward.

But Negan stopped him, sensing that something was off with Wren. "Leave us." And of course, like every other obedient man in the compound, Simon left. Just like that.

"What's going on?" Negan cocked his head to the side, genuinely curious as to why Wren was acting so out of character. She seemed oddly vulnerable, a trait which she hadn't displayed before.

"I don't want to talk about it. Especially not with you." Wren bit her lip, refusing to show Negan any sign of weakness.

Negan stepped forward, extending his concern further. "Has something happened?"

"I said I won't talk about this with you." Wren snapped, reaching into her pocket and taking out the knife. She threw it on the ground, the sound of it clattering on the cold stone echoing through her mind, reminding her that she wasn't safe. "Take the fucking thing, just leave me the hell alone!"

Then Wren stormed off, mind racing with thoughts of what she could do. She needed to protect herself, because she knew exactly what David was like…what he was capable of.

* * *

Wren was unable to sleep that night, her thoughts plagued with the memory of that night, the dreadful scene playing in her mind over and over on a continuous loop. She recalled how she'd let out a loud and pained cry when she saw the small body bag being removed from the house, how she'd screamed and hit her husband for what he had done, vowing to never forgive him as the firefighters held her back. She never did forgive him.

David had never been much of a father to their daughter Ruby but to Wren, that little girl had meant everything. She loved taking her to the park on the warmer days and reading to her until she fell asleep on the nights where she wasn't out trying to make ends meet. It had been years but Wren still remembered every moment, every single thing, about her daughter. Ruby's small, freckled face flashed across Wren's mind every single day and in her dreams, scenarios would be played where she was still alive, learning to adapt in a new world wrought with danger.

After the fire, Wren had been unable to return to the house she'd once shared with her husband and daughter, instead moving to live with her parents, away from the painful memory of her daughter's death. David had tried to contact her an endless amount of times, to beg for forgiveness and to convince her to call off the divorce, but Wren had refused any outreach because any love she had left for him had been replaced with pure hatred. The only time they met face to face was to finalise their divorce, after months of Wren fighting to separate from her husband, and it was there that Wren had deemed David dead to her.

"You died in that fire." She'd said to him as they parted ways. "In my mind, you're dead."

And ever since the apocalypse had begun, Wren had presumed that David was dead. She and her family had never ran into him when their home town gathered to become one collective at the very start of the outbreak, nor had he tried to find her…all contact had just ceased to exist. Just like she'd thought David had. But now Wren knew that he was alive and it scared her. David had had such a hold over her in the past; knowing exactly what to do and say in order to reel her back in. He was lazy, selfish and cruel and yet her past self hadn't been able to escape him. The apocalypse had been the only thing to help break her away from her ex-husband's stronghold…but even that hadn't kept him away for good.

Wren wanted him out of her life for good but, even though she had threatened to kill him, she doubted that she ever could. Sure, she was a strong woman and the end of the world had only enhanced that strength, forcing her to do things she never even dreamed she'd be able to do, but murdering a man in cold blood seemed impossible. Even after all that he'd done to hurt her…and their daughter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! I hope everyone is doing well in spite of these difficult times - I've been self-isolating for a week and it's driving me crazy but I know it's for the best. Sending love and best wishes to you all!
> 
> I'd just like to say a big thank you to those of you who have read the story and bookmarked/given kudos etc. I'm trying to get a few chapters transferred over here per day just so as not to overload you all at once. The fic over on fanfiction.net has 13 chapters so it shouldn't be long before this one is up to date.
> 
> Thanks again, and please leave a review if you can - they honestly do help get writers motivated :)

Once again, Negan found himself thinking about Wren. Her behaviour outside the armoury had baffled him as her typical composure had crumbled right before him, revealing a woman who was clearly scared of…something. That was what confused Negan the most. He knew that look well; he'd seen that expression of fear on the faces of those that worked for him involuntarily, and on those whose skulls he'd caved in moments after. Wren's actions indicated that she was no longer trying to defy him, to prove her point, but that she was desperate. Something had to have happened to cause such a dramatic change within her so quickly.

Then he wondered if it was one of his men.

Wren was by no means unattractive with her full lips and curvaceous figure, it wouldn't have surprised him if a few of his workers had expressed an interest in her. But that thought only frustrated Negan. He wanted to chase Wren and eventually have her warm up to him, he couldn't have one of his men robbing him of that chance. What annoyed him even more however was the possibility that Wren had been intimidated by someone within The Sanctuary. After all, she wasn't exactly likely to seek a weapon after the odd catcall or sleazy compliment. No, it had to be more serious than that. So Negan decided to keep an eye on things, on Wren, just to make sure she didn't run into any trouble. Despite his cold exterior Negan did care about the females in his group in particular, and he hated the thought of one of them getting harmed within his compound.

* * *

"Good morning ladies." Negan entered the laundry room with a wide smile, his gaze instantly focusing on Wren, who was sat at the back of the room furiously scrubbing away at a blood-stained jacket, not even acknowledging his presence.

"She okay?" Negan mouthed to one of the older women, gesturing towards Wren.

The woman shrugged in response, "she's been quiet all morning." She whispered before continuing on with her work.

"Hey Wren," Negan whistled to get her attention. "Wren, can I speak with you?"

She looked up, sighed, then followed Negan outside the room. "What is it Negan?"

"You okay?" Negan leaned back against the wall, Lucille by his side, as he attempted to strike up a genuine conversation with Wren.

"Why'd you care?" Wren crossed her arms over her chest.

"Because you're my responsibility."

"Where'd you get that impression from?" Wren scoffed. "I'm not one of your 'wives.'"

Negan exhaled deeply, knowing that Wren was in one of her difficult moods. "I'm the leader of The Sanctuary. Therefore it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone living here is doing good."

"I'm peachy." Wren smiled wryly.

"Then why the hell would you be trying to steal a knife. You're not planning on killing me, right?" Negan chuckled, apparently amused by his joke, but Wren's expression remained unreadable, like she was elsewhere, deep in thought.

Wren raised an eyebrow, "you think I'd kill you with a pathetic little pocket knife?"

"You got someone else in mind?" When she didn't respond, Negan's tone became serious. "You better tell me what the fuck is going on."

A part of Wren wanted to tell Negan about her ex-husband, but why should she? It wasn't like he'd give two shits, or as though it was any of his business.

"Did someone in here…" Negan furrowed his brow. "Did one of my men hurt you?"

"What?" Wren blinked in surprise. "What makes you think that…"

Negan shrugged, "you're an appealing woman. I wouldn't be surprised if any of the dogs in here tried to hit on you…heck I've tried." He grinned slightly and Wren rolled her eyes in contempt.

"I can handle a crowd of horny jerks." Wren told him firmly. "I just need…protection."

Of course Negan didn't want to break the rules for Wren, but she seemed so certain that she needed a weapon. He knew she was smart and had good morals; she wouldn't have wanted a knife without good reason. Wren just didn't strike him as a killer. So Negan found himself reaching into his jacket pocket and handing Wren the knife she'd previously tried to steal, just like that.

"Take it. Just promise not to stab me in the back when I walk away."

Her eyes wide with surprise, Wren took the blade and slipped it into her own pocket. "Why would you give me this?"

"You got good judgement." Negan smiled, "and maybe I want you to think of me as a good guy."

"I don't think anyone that carries a baseball bat dressed in barbed wire can be classed as a 'good guy.'" Wren paused, glancing up at Negan. "But thanks anyway. You're somewhat less of an asshole now."

Negan chuckled, "well I'll take that compliment, birdie."

"Doesn't mean I like you though," Wren said as she opened the laundry room door. "Not even close."

When she disappeared, a wide grin spread across Negan's face. He was confident in his ability to win Wren over, especially now that he'd extended a favouring gesture towards her – breaking a rule that he hadn't broken for anyone else just to get her to see him differently. She was stubborn, so damn stubborn, but he liked it. Negan enjoyed the chase of obtaining a wife, and he'd decided that Wren was perfect for that role. The others simply obeyed him quietly, satisfying his every need without so much as a frown – even Sherry who must've hated his guts. Negan wanted a woman with fire, someone to challenge his ego and make things more interesting. He just needed to show Wren the perks of being a part of his collective of women; like any good husband, he enjoyed to treat his wives to whatever luxuries could be offered in the new world. Surely she couldn't refuse him forever. Wren was strong-willed and apparently had strong morals, but the dangers of the new world had stripped many people of such qualities. Perhaps desperation would eventually lead Wren into Negan's arms should all of his attempts at charming her fail miserably.

Making his way down the corridor with a confident stride, Lucille slung over his shoulder, Negan caught site of Kyle leaving the cafeteria and decided to approach him. Frankly, if Kyle hated him, Wren would inevitably share his disdain. The two siblings were evidently close and alike, yet Kyle had seemed more…receptive to Negan's demands than his younger sister. Being the closest person in Wren's life, it seemed logical to get on Kyle's good side – he could be useful after all.

"Hey Kyle, my man!"

Kyle stopped in his tracks, a slightly cautious look on his face. Sure, he'd shared a few drinks with Negan the night before but he hadn't thought that qualified him to be The Sanctuary leader's friend. After a few moments' silence, Kyle quickly got down on one knee to show his respect, still getting used to the customs that Negan had set in place.

Negan chuckled, "you're a fast learner. I admire that." He gestured for Kyle to stand. "Not at all like your sister, are you?"

"Wren is…headstrong. If she believes in something she'll stand by it til the end, always been that way." Kyle told him as he stood up once again.

"I know my methods aren't exactly orthodox, but they sure do get shit done." Negan grinned, "wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah of course…" Kyle was still wary of what to say around Negan. Frankly he wasn't sure if the leader was testing him, so he was choosing his words very carefully. "I guess that's where you and Wren differ. She was less…assertive when she was in charge."

Negan chuckled, "she seems quite assertive when it comes to challenging my authority."

"Like I said, she stands up for what she believes."

"And what does your sister believe, Kyle?" Negan leaned forward slightly, eager to hear what he had to say.

Kyle paused, not wanting to say anything controversial. "Wren's not exactly your biggest fan, you know…" He saw Negan's eyebrow raise. "Don't take it personally, she…she has her reasons."

Normally, Negan would've pushed for said reasons but he saw the serious look on Kyle's face and decided that, for the time being, he would leave things be.

* * *

As he was heading to his quarters that night, Negan came across a strange sight: Wren talking to one of the men he'd assigned to gate duty, David he believed was his name. While he hadn't really taken the time to learn more about the man, Negan had figured that David fancied himself a bit of a ladies' man. Hence why Negan was worried that he had the intention of wooing Wren before he had the chance to.

At first Negan thought they were merely talking, but he soon sensed a more tense conversation between the two. Although their voices were hushed, Negan could tell that there was a darker undertone. They were trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

But unfortunately for Negan, he couldn't quite work out what they were saying. All he could do was watch as Wren slapped David hard before walking away, wondering what had caused such hostility to arise between the two in such a short amount of time. Of course Negan didn't understand that the tension between the two had mounted over the years. But he was about to.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick warning, there are themes of attempted rape in this chapter. I feel like it's not too graphic but please skip over this if you may feel uncomfortable. Thank you x

As a little girl, Wren had always dreamed of her fairy tale ending. She wanted the house in the suburbs with the white picket fence, the husband who swept her off her feet as soon as he walked through the door, and the child who she would've done anything for. In her early twenties, Wren had achieved only one of those…until her daughter was cruelly snatched from her grasp.

In her teens, Wren had stopped looking for her Prince Charming. She'd quickly learned that every man had his faults, and had chosen to settle for the first guy who'd offered to take her to prom. Everyone had always told her that David was bad news, but she didn't want to hear it. Frankly, Wren didn't think that she could do better and, after a few years of dating, she figured that it was too late to move on. Especially when she fell pregnant with Ruby during his six month stint in jail.

Sure, David was lazy, rude and sometimes violent…but he was her childhood sweetheart, and she had made so many memories with him.

But those memories had been tainted following the accident.

And now, at the age of twenty-seven, Wren didn't care at all for love. Especially now that the world had come to an end. Love had changed Wren, made her more cynical and distrusting of people. She didn't want to let another man into her life, not only because she was scared of being hurt again, but because she was scared that she was no longer capable of love, that her absolute failure of a marriage had caused her to close that part of herself off forever.

* * *

A knock on her door woke Wren in the middle of the night.

Assuming it was Negan coming to give her a lecture, probably coming to take back his knife, Wren shouted at the door. "For fuck's sake Negan, it's not even seven!"

When the knocking persisted, getting louder, Wren quickly went to answer. "I'm coming! You know, if you're trying to win my favour you're going about it really wrong…" Only to be surprised to see her ex-husband standing at the door. Again.

"Wren, we need to talk."

She could instantly smell the alcohol on his breath and frowned. "Thought you'd stopped drinking."

"Decided to treat myself. I feel like I've earned it." David took a step forward, inviting himself into Wren's room, but she blocked his path. "What? I just wanna talk."

"I don't want to talk." Wren said firmly. "I already told you several times that I don't want anything to do with you."

Their stark difference in stature meant that it was easy for David to push his way into the room, closing the door behind him.

Wren frowned, "you need to leave."

"Why'd you think I was Negan?" David asked, leaning against the wall for support.

"That's none of your business."

"You fucking him?" David's tone was tense and he grabbed Wren's wrist.

She rolled her eyes. "Really David? You're paranoid that I'm sleeping with a guy I can't stand…" She paused, "although, that being said, I guess that's what I was doing when we were married right?"

David's grip on her wrist tightened at that. "We were happy."

Wren laughed bitterly, "no we weren't! You were just too drunk to see it. I told you, I stopped loving you a long time ago. Months before Ruby died, before you killed her."

"No, no. I know that you don't mean that." He stumbled slightly. "I never stopped loving you and I know you feel the same. There's always been a spark between us since we were kids. I strayed away every now and then sure, but I always came back to you didn't I? If you were so unhappy you could've left, but you never did. You stayed by my side because you loved me."

Wren yanked her hand away. "And staying with you is something I'll always regret. I was trapped with you, David. It wasn't much of a life, I wasn't free."

"Sure you were." David grinned and reached out to stroke Wren's cheek, but she slapped his hand away. "What? You let other guys touch you but not your husband?"

"You think I enjoyed what I had to do?!" Wren's hands were shaking as memories of her past flooded back. "I came home feeling ashamed – dirty – because of what I had to do to keep our family off the streets!" She hit him. "I hate you!" Again. "I fucking hate you!"

Wren was angry. She was so damn angry. She blamed David for everything that had gone wrong in her life; her dropping out of college, having to sell her dignity, the death of their daughter…

"Hey! Calm down!" David grabbed Wren by the shoulders. "We can make this work, baby. I've changed, you'll see that soon. Gimme a chance, yeah?"

"I don't want you." Wren hissed.

David shoved Wren onto the bed and quickly pinned her down with the weight of his large body. "I swear to you, I've changed. Why won't you let me prove it?!"

"Get off me!" Wren shouted, but David was quick to cover her mouth. She thrashed her legs desperately as David moved his other hand to her shirt.

"Relax…" He grabbed her shirt and ripped it open, sending the buttons flying onto the floor. Wren could feel her heart beating loudly in her chest, thrashing as wildly as her body. She couldn't breathe…she needed to escape…

She needed to escape the ghost of her past.

Wren bit down hard on David's hand, which caused him to jolt up, but the weight of his body still pinned her down. "What the fuck?! Has this shitty world turned you into some kind of animal?!"

Breathing heavily, Wren took the chance to reach into her bedside drawer, holding out the knife that Negan had given her.

"What're you gonna do with that?" David smirked, looking at Wren as though she were prey, a small, weak thing that only existed for his amusement. He'd always looked at her that way, but only now could Wren see the predatory look.

She couldn't stand it.

"Leave. I'm warning you." She pointed the knife in his direction, hand trembling, eyes watering.

"You don't have the guts. You need me. You want me." His hand was now firmly on Wren's thigh, his hard stare burning her skin. Flinching at the contact, as David's hand moved higher, Wren panicked and dug the knife straight into his hand.

David stopped, looking at her with a mix of confusion and anger that was terrifying. "You fucking bitch!" He lunged at her, truly becoming the predator.

But Wren wasn't going to be the helpless prey this time.

She quickly stabbed him in the chest, then again, until he stopped. Fell down from the bed. Silent.

As soon as he hit the ground, Wren burst into tears; her body shaking as she stared at the body of her ex-husband, bloody and still on the floor. "You made me do this!" She screamed, looking down at her blood-stained hands. They didn't seem like hers, it was as though someone else had taken the wheel just for a second, and now Wren was left with the consequences. With her ex-husband's body on the floor.

It was her or him, Wren knew that, but she never thought that she'd go through with it. She was a murderer.

Would Negan have her banished? Exiled in the middle of nowhere with no food or weapons…

Or would he execute her for her crime?

"I didn't want to do that!" She cried, hunching her knees up to her chest as she stared down at the body. "You made me! I didn't want to!"

Wren didn't know how much time passed after that. It could've been hours. She was in a state of shock, staring blankly at the body before her, the one that she'd put there. Stripped him of life without a second thought. She hated David so much, but she hated herself for what she'd done even more.

But she was soon brought out of her trance by the sound of groaning…

* * *

Meanwhile, Negan was on his way to the laundry room to check up on Wren once again. He'd seen how upset she'd been the night before after her encounter with David and wanted to make sure that he hadn't hurt her. That he wouldn't need to step in.

But when he arrived she wasn't there.

"Where's Wren?" Negan asked the other women, none of them answered. "Where the hell is Wren?"

They looked down anxiously. "We haven't seen her all morning." One of the younger girls, Hannah, whispered. She had been Wren's neighbour since the stubborn leader's arrival at The Sanctuary and had tried to befriend her on more than one occasion. "I heard shouting from her room when I passed…I decided to leave her, I didn't think she'd be late…"

"Who was she arguing with?" Negan asked, "her brother?"

"I…I don't think so…" Hannah shook her head, glancing up to face Negan. "She sounded angry. So did he…"

"And you didn't think to fucking check on her?!" Negan shouted, panic washing over him. "Shit!" He grabbed Lucille and quickly ran out of the room, and towards Wren's.

Negan heard her screams from outside the door and kicked it down, not wasting any time in bashing the walker's skull in right before it closed in on the young woman.

"What the shit!" Negan looked at Wren when he realised that the walker was David, and saw the blood that stained the room. And the knife that he'd given her sticking out of the dead man's chest. "What the fucking shit, Wren?!"

Then Negan noticed that Wren's blouse had been ripped open, and that she was terrified…he was able to piece some of the puzzle together.

"It's okay…" He told her, trying to ignore David's corpse right in front of her. He used Lucille to push him off the bed, out of the way so that he could see Wren. She was all that mattered in that moment. She was afraid, it was a look he'd seen countless times since all of this began. "Did he…did he hurt you…"

Wren shook her head tearfully, her eyes still transfixed on the body on the floor.

Negan frowned, "I'm getting you outta here." He reached out his gloved hand to Wren, who cowered slightly. "You can trust me, I'm not a bad guy."

What happened after that was a blur to Wren. It all felt like a bad dream, like a scenario concocted in the darkest recesses of her mind. She tried to stand but her legs felt like jelly, her body crumbling under the weight of her guilt.

Then her body hit the floor, and all she could hear was Negan frantically calling her name as she faded out of consciousness.


End file.
